Fragrance emitting article for artificial christmas trees

ABSTRACT

A SIMULATED PINE CONE ARTICLE FOR ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREES. THE ARTICLE ENCLOSES A BLOCK OF CONCENTRATED PINE ESSENCE IN ITS INTERIOR. THE ARTICLE MAY BE MADE OF PLASTIC WITH TWO REMOVABLE SECTIONS TO ALLOW ACCESS TO REPLACE THE SOURCE OF PINE ESSENCE.

Oct. 17, 1972 B. SUSEWITZ FRAGRANCE EMITTING ARTICLE FOR ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREES U Y RW E K W 3. 30% m v. mm B%M F H A H w m M Filed Aug. 25, 1969 cu Ri Patented Oct. 17, 1972 3,698,991 FRAGRANCE EMITTING ARTICLE FOR ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREES Michael Bernard Susewitz, 18435 Garfield, Detroit, Mich. 48240 Filed Aug. 25, 1969, Ser. No. 852,545 Int. Cl. A47g 33/08 US. Cl. 16114 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A simulated pine cone article for artificial Christmas trees. The article encloses a block of concentrated pine essence in its interior. The article may be made of plastic with two removable sections to allow access to replace the source of pine essence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an article including a substantially hollow body portion and at least one source of stimulation of olfactory nerves. The source of stimulation of olfactory nerves is adapted to be disposed within the substantially hollow body portion. The article also includes means, such as a plurality of carefully located apertures, within said substantially hollow body portion for releasing at a predetermined rate, and for facilitating the passage of the scent or fragrance emanating from the source from the interior of said substantially hollow body portion to the exterior of said substantially hollow body portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a first embodiment of the invention shown hanging on a branch of a Christmas tree.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line 22.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the invention having a substantially horizontal parting line between the main body portion and a swingable lid.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 illustrates a view of an article 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. There is shown a substantially hollow body portion 2 having the shape and appearance of a pine cone with simulated pine scales 25. Enclosed within the substantially hollow body portion 2 is at least one source 3 of a fragrance or other stimulation of olfactory nerves. If desired, this source 3 may take the form of a cube or block of concentrated pine essence.

The hollow body portion 2 is provided with means, such as apertures 4, arranged at predetermined locations in the hollow body portion. The location, dimensions, and relative distances of the apertures 4 from the source 3 of stimulation of olfactory nerves determines the predetermined rate at which the scent or fragrance will emanate from the interior of the hollow body portion 2. The apertures 4 facilitate the passage of the scent emanating from the source 3 enclosed within the interior of the hollow body portion 2.

It should be apparent that the source 3 of fragrance, shown most clearly in FIG. 2, will eventually lose its ability or power to stimulate olfactory nerves. To avoid having to discard the entire article 1 when the source 3 of fragrance becomes depleted, there is provided means for gaining access to the interior of the substantially hollow body portion 2 so that a fresh source of fragrance may replace the depleted one. Such means may take the form of a hollow body portion 2 made up of two sections 5 and 6 which may be readily disassembled or moved relative to each other to permit access to the source 3 of fragrance or odor. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the two sections 5 and 6 of the body portion 2 are held together by interlocking tabs 7 and notches 8. Alternatively, the two sections 5 and 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be provided with a hinge (not shown) at one or more portions to facilitate swinging of one section relative to the other so that the cube or block of fragrance may be readily replaced.

The article 1 may be provided with means atfixed to the exterior surface of the substantially hollow body portion 2 to facilitate the connection of the article 1 to an external member. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, such means takes the form of a hook 9 secured to one of the body sections 5 or 6 for facilitating hanging of the article 1 from an external member, such as a branch 10 of a pine or Christmas tree.

With reference to FIG. 3, there is shown a second embodiment of the invention which is somewhat similar to the described first embodiment. The similarities reside in the fact that the hollow body portion 12 of the FIG. 3 embodiment also has the shape and appearance of a pine cone. There is provided a hook 19 for connecting the article 11 to an exterior member (not shown). In addition, there is also a plurality of vent holes 14 located at predetermined positions relative to the resting place of the fragrance source 13 within the body portion 12.

The FIG. 3 embodiment discloses a substantially hollow body portion 12 having two sections 15 and 16 which are adapted to swing relative to each other about a hinge 21. The two sections 15 and 16 in this embodiment meet in a mating or parting line 22 lying in a plane which is arranged substantially horizontal, as opposed to the first embodiment where its mating line 23 lies in a plane which is arranged substantially vertically. The FIG. 3 embodiment also provides means, such as a retaining screw 17, for holding the swingable section 15 in place.

The hollow body portion of the inventive article may be made of or fabricated from a great variety of materials, such as plastics, cardboard, styrofoam, cellophane, paper, metal foil, wood, stiff or rigid fabrics, etc.

The means for facilitating hanging or affixing the article to external member may take many forms, such as a book, an adhesive or sticky area, a string, tacks, nails, etc.

The body portion may enclose one or more sources of stimulation of olfactory nerves. Such sources can take many forms, such as a cube, a b10 Ck, a jelly or putty-like mass, rods, a fluid, etc.

The means for facilitating passage of the scent or fragrance emanating from the source of stimulation of olfactory nerves from the interior of the hollow body to the exterior thereof may take many forms, such as apertures, tubes, vent holes, wicks, perforations, etc.

The novel article may be fabricated in many difierent shapes, such as pine cones, spheres, ellipsoids, spheroids, bells, fruits, flowers, nuts, etc. For example, the inventive atricle may have the shape and appearance of an orange, and enclose a source of fragrance similar to that associated with natural oranges.

The present invention may be used for ornamental and/or functional purposes. For example, the articlein the shape of a pine cone with a source of pine odor is especially suitable for use with imitation Christmas trees. This eliminates the use of the conventional aerosol spray can to obtain a pine odor. Moreover, with this inventive article the pine odor persists for a much longer period of time.

I claim:

1. An article comprising, in combination:

a substantially hollow body portion;

at least one source of stimulation of olfactory nerves;

said source being disposed within said substantially hollow body portion;

said substantially hollow body portion including at least two sections which may be readily moved relative to each other to permit access to said source of stimu lation of olfactory nerves; and

said substantially hollow body portion is provided with a plurality of apertures dispersed throughout the entire body portion for releasing, and for facilitating the passage of, the scent emanating from said source from the interior of said substantially hollow body portion.

2. An article characterized in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said substantially hollow body portion has the shape and appearance of a pine cone; and

means are afiixed to the exterior of said substantially hollow body portion to facilitate the connection of said article to an external member.

3. An article comprising, in combination:

a substantially hollow body portion;

at least one source of stimulation of olfactory nerves;

said source being disposed within said substantially hollow body portion;

said substantially hollow body portion including at least two sections which may be readily moved relative to each other to permit access to said source of stimulation of said olfactory nerves;

means provided within said substantially hollow body portion for releasing, and for facilitating the passage of, the scent emanating from said source from the interior of said substantially hollow body portion; the external surface of said substantially hollow body 4 portion is composed of scales arranged substantially symmetrically around the longitudinal axis of said body portion;

and said source of stimulation of olfactory nerves comprises a block of concentrated pine essence. 4. An article characterized in accordance with claim 3 wherein:

said substantially hollow body portion is provided with a hook rigidly affixed to the upper portion thereof to facilitate hanging said article from an external member;

and said substantially hollow body portion is composed of at least two sections which are movable relative to one another, to permit access to said block of concentrated pine essence.

5. An article characterized in accordance with claim 3 wherein said substantially hollow body portion includes a section hinged to the remainder of said body portion to facilitate replacement of said block of concentrated pine essence when said block has lost its ability to stimulate olfactory-nerves;

said means provided within said substantially hollow body portion for releasing, and for facilitating the passage of, said scent emanating from said source from the interior of said substantially hollow body portion to the exterior of said substantially hollow body portion comprises a plurality of equally-spaced apertures;

and including a screw for retaining said hinged section in a stationary position relative to the remainder of said substantially hollow body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,220,913 11/1965 Thomas 161--16 2,492,039 12/1949 Gilowitz 161-30 X 1,720,881 7/1929 Brewster 161-30 X 2,779,058 1/1957 Hyde 16125 UX PHILIP DIER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.'R. 

